1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to pet garments and more particularly pertains to a heated pet sweater which may be employed to provide warmth to a dog or cat wearer thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of pet garments is known in the prior art. More specifically, pet garments including sweaters heretofore devised and utilized for providing warmth to a pet are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
The present invention is directed to improving devices for a heated pet sweater in a manner which is safe, secure, economical and aesthetically pleasing.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,443,066 to Weibel discloses a heated outdoor garment comprising an inner and outer panel having a series of electrical heating wires disposed between the panels and having a battery providing electrical power therein and furthermore the garment is designed to surround and provide heat to one or more human forms. There is no provision in the Weibel invention for application to a pet such as a dog or cat for the purpose of providing non-electrical heat thereto. The present invention comprises a garment for wear by animals such as dogs or cats wherein one or more pockets are included therein for holding pouches of exothermically reacting substances or previously warmed thermal energy storage materials.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,458 to Curtis, a protective dog coat is disclosed comprising an adjustably fitting coat having a highly visible outer layer and an thermally insulating inner liner thereby providing visibility of the dog at night or during hunting expeditions and maintaining the dog's body heat by thermal insulating means. There is no provision for inclusion of an exothermic reactor or energy storage pouches in the Curtis invention. The present invention is designed to provide warmth to an animal by a combination of insulating means and heat generation by an exothermic chemical reaction or a passive thermal energy storage device.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,003,756 to Mazzotta, Sr. a dog garment with flea repelling means is described. The Mazzotta Sr. invention comprises a dog coat having an inner liner having replaceable flea repellant strips affixed therein. The Mazzotta, Sr. invention has no provision for providing external heat to a dog and is generally not employed as a thermal insulator. The present invention comprises a coat having one or more pockets containing exothermic or energy storage type heaters and may be fitted to dogs, cats or other animals.
In U.S. Pat. No. Des. 330,954 to Nieding the ornamental design for a cat garment is disclosed for wear by cats. A disadvantage in this prior art lies in a lack of heat producing devices for therapeutic or cold weather usage. The present invention comprises a garment for wear by an animal having exothermically reacting or passive heat sources disposed therein.
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 312,151 to Dickey discloses the ornamental design of a canine protective garment. The disclosure teaches a garment devised to provide protection of a substantial portion of the underside of a dog. The disclosure makes no provision for providing heat to the dog's body. Furthermore, there are no provisions for thermally insulating a substantial portion of the dog's body. There is no teaching to install and remove heatable or chemically reactive pouches therein. The present invention comprises a pet garment having an insulating layer and one or more active or passive heat producers detachably placed therein.
In this respect, the heated pet sweater according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of providing heat to and maintaining warmth of an animal.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for new and improved heated pet sweater which can be employed to provide therapeutic heat and thermal comfort for an animal. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.
As illustrated by the background art, efforts are continuously being made in an attempt to improve pet thermal control garments. No prior effort, however, provides the benefits attendant with the present invention. Additionally, the prior patents and commercial techniques do not suggest the present inventive combination of component elements arranged and configured as disclosed and claimed herein.
The present invention achieves its intended purposes, objects, and advantages through a new, useful and unobvious combination of method steps and component elements, with the use of a minimum number of functioning parts, at a reasonable cost to manufacture, and by employing only readily available materials.